Conor Brown from Atwell (Age 8)

Conor was nominated by Kathy Snell, Education Assistant at Atwell Primary School who describes him as someone that catches your attention for all the good reasons!

Conor has a very rare, life-threatening medical condition which causes a key protein in his immune system to leak into his body tissue causing him to swell. He is possibly the only person in Australia with this condition, very little is known about it and there’s no known cure.

Despite this, Conor is a charismatic character and a real inspiration to his classmates, friends and family. Always smiling, Conor loves karate and he’s a huge West Coast Eagles fan.

Described as flamboyant, well-liked and determined, Conor really is one in a million!

Sophie Read from Bunbury (Age 7)

Condition: Juvenile Idiopathic ArthritisSchool: Picton Primary School

Sophie was nominated by Deborah Tunbridge in the Rheumatology Department at PMH who describes her as a vibrant, friendly, vivacious and outgoing young girl who always has a smile despite her pain and discomfort.

Sophie’s condition causes inflammation of her joints including her knees ankles and wrists, complicated further by osteoporosis. The bones in Sophie’s ankles are crumbling and there are days when she can’t walk at all. She has to endure painful injections fortnightly to assist in the treatment of her condition and strengthen her bones. Steroid injections help to relive Sophie’s pain.

As Sophie lives with her family in Bunbury she has to travel quite often for her treatment.

Sophie’s dream is to be a ballerina like her big sister and she can’t wait to spend Telethon weekend with her new BFF Fat Cat!

Sophie is always willing to give anything a go and never complains of pain – she’s a real little trooper!